Folau urges dopers to put up hands and clear the air

Sports Reporter

"Everyone here wants a really clean and fair way to play the sport" ... Israel Folau. Photo: Anthony Johnson

ISRAEL FOLAU has implored anyone who has been involved or implicated in doping or corruption relating to the Australian Crime Commission probe into sport to come forward and provide information for the sake of their respective codes and the innocent individuals tarred by suspicion.

Folau, who will play his third game of rugby for his new team, the NSW Waratahs, in Thursday night's Super trial game against the Canterbury Crusaders at Allianz Stadium is in a rare position to make his call, having played in three of the four football codes in Australia.

Folau, 23, said he had never been involved - nor witnessed - any illicit activity during his years with the Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos NRL sides and then at the Greater Western Sydney AFL club, which he left after two years of a four-year deal to join the NSW Waratahs in December.

But he has followed recent news relating to the ACC's year-long investigation into corruption and doping, and believes that until more facts are revealed, the slur on all Australian sport will persist, and that anyone with information should step forward as soon as possible.

Advertisement

The Australian Sports Anti Doping Authority has said it might offer reductions to bans in return for assistance.

Asked if he would like to see players, coaches or trainers - or anyone - involved summon the courage to step forward and provide information, Folau said: ''I would. It would be a lot cleaner for the rest of the public and to that person as well. That decision is entirely up to that individual. Whether they are brave enough to come out and say it is totally up them. It would be nice, if they did participate in doing that, to come clean about it.''

While Folau opposes doping and corruption, he said he would not hold anyone's dark history against them if they were willing to confess their involvement now to help the ACC investigation reach a resolution and Australian sport to move on.

''I would respect everyone even if I knew them personally. I wouldn't judge them on the particular thing that they did.''

Until more information relating the ACC investigation is made public, Folau fears for the damage the case will have on Australian sport.

''If any athlete is participating in [doping and corruption] it is quite sad. Everyone here wants a really clean and fair way to play the sport,'' he said.

Folau said he had never doubted the legality of supplements he had been given during his career. ''I was pretty confident in the supplements I was taking from the sport scientists and all the trainers,'' he said, adding that he had ''never had injections'' or been tempted to stray off a clean path.

Folau, who lives in Kellyville south-west of Sydney with his father and financial manager Eni, mother Amelia, brother Johnny, who is 18, and sister Mary, 16, then added that, ''[If] you surround yourself with good people, you will go a long way to making good decisions - and the right ones.''

Meanwhile, Folau is looking forward to facing the Crusaders' playmaking duo of Dan Carter and Israel Dagg in Thursday night's final of three trial games.

''It will be another test,'' Folau said, forecasting to be challenged not only by a deluge of high balls by the Kiwis, but on all facets of his game.

''I expect pretty much anything. I have to be ready for whatever happens,'' Folau said, adding that he felt he contributed more to the Waratahs in last Saturday's loss to the Blues in New Zealand when he came on in the second half, than he did against the Rebels when he played for 70 minutes.

''I think I did a lot more in that 40 minutes than I did against the Rebels because I learned a few things in the first week,'' he said.